


Anniversary (Chocolate Squirrel)

by sweetautumnwine



Series: Cocktails & Chasers [2]
Category: Hunter X Hunter
Genre: Light Bondage, M/M, Plot What Plot/Porn Without Plot, Self-Indulgent, Smut, i should probably add more tags but???
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-16
Updated: 2018-03-16
Packaged: 2019-04-01 05:24:27
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,616
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13991388
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sweetautumnwine/pseuds/sweetautumnwine
Summary: On their four month anniversary (because of course they celebrate that), Leorio and Kurapika have similar but slightly different ideas on how they should spend their evening together.





	Anniversary (Chocolate Squirrel)

**Author's Note:**

> This is just... entirely smut. Shameless.

Leorio eased open the door to Kurapika’s apartment and turned the knob as he shut it, tensing until he deemed it safe to release the bolt into the lock. He slipped off his shoes with admirable stealth. The hallway seemed dense with darkness; dusk had already passed, drenching the day in black hues and dappled skies. Craning his neck to peer into the depths of the apartment, Leorio crept forward, clutching a cellophane-wrapped bouquet to his chest.

 

Though Leorio had arranged to get off early for this day, he still hadn’t quite figured out Kurapika’s schedule—and he doubted he ever would. The hours were inconveniently irregular, and the two of them considered themselves fortunate if they were able to eat a meal together. Leorio would never admit it, but it was lonely at times. If all went according to his plan, he’d beat Kurapika home and have time to surprise him. Leorio swallowed and inched further into the space, pressing his back to the wall opposite the kitchen as he moved toward the living room, erring on the side of caution.

 

A soft _click_ and sudden flickering light just out of sight froze Leorio in place, stilled his muscles and sent his heart racing. Leaning into the living room, Leorio saw Kurapika standing at the modest dinner table with his back to him, hands occupied with something hidden behind his silhouette. He was still dressed in work clothes—fitted blazer and tailored pants, all in black—and Leorio gathered that he’d arrived shortly before himself.

 

Kurapika cursed under his breath, popped his index finger between his lips. With a frustrated groan, he turned, toward the other hallway and the bathroom where he kept the first aid kit, and stiffened. Slipping his finger from his mouth, he smirked. “Why are you sneaking around, Leorio? Have you something to hide?”

 

Leorio saw a bead of blood and surged forward, laying his bouquet on the table and curling his fingers around Kurapika’s wrist. He didn’t notice how Kurapika’s eyes followed his hands, lingered on the flowers; he didn’t see the satisfied smile or the faint blush.

 

“What did you do?” Leorio was already drawing a bandaid from one of his suit pockets and tearing off the paper covering. Always prepared for disaster, Kurapika often thought, provided _disasters_ were limited to injuries less than an inch long.

 

“There’s no need for concern, Leorio,” Kurapika said, but he didn’t retrieve his hand. “It’s only a scratch.”

 

When Leorio finished smoothing the edges of the bandage around Kurapika’s slender finger, he lifted his chin to meet Kurapika’s level stare. “From _what_ exactly?

 

Kurapika motioned over his shoulder by jerking his head to one side. “I pricked myself on a thorn. It’s been some time since I handled flowers.” He laughed, rising up on his toes to plant a kiss on Leorio’s cheek. “I suppose we had similar ideas.”

 

The roses were arranged pleasantly at the center of the table, set in a glass vase and surrounded by tall, slender candles. A few red silken petals lay on the table by the base. “They’re lovely,” Leorio said. He looked sheepishly down at his own bouquet of yellow and white blooms—daffodils, baby’s breath, lily of the valley—and felt his cheeks grow warm.

 

“As are yours,” Kurapika confessed, his eyes falling upon the flowers, his cheeks crinkling with fondness. “You’ve made me a more sentimental man, Leorio. I didn’t think it possible.”

 

“I haven’t done anything,” Leorio said, as though he truly believed it.

 

Kurapika slipped his wrist from Leorio’s hold and draped both arms over Leorio’s shoulders, drawing him closer until their lips were only a hair’s breadth apart. “Three months have already passed,” he murmured, tilting his head back so his words, like laughter, brushed over Leorio’s skin. He laced his fingers at the nape of Leorio’s neck, let his warm palms rest there, almost burning. “I’m surprised you’ve stayed this long.”

 

“Thought I told you not to talk like that,” Leorio scolded, bumping his nose against Kurapika’s. The flicker of mischief in Kurapika’s eyes made it clear that he was only teasing. “How could I possibly leave you? You’re perfect.”

 

“You’ve got poor taste,” Kurapika said, tilting his head. Slowly, as though practicing caution, he stretched to touch Leorio’s mouth with a kiss as soft as petals, smiling as he pulled away. “As much as I tease, I am… relieved that you’ve stayed. You’re very kind.”

 

Leorio looked at him with an incomparable tenderness, as though he beheld in his gaze a precious treasure all his own. “I’m _lucky_ ,” Leorio corrected. “I’m so fortunate that you fell into my life. It feels like I’ve known you for ages.”

 

“Trauma has that effect,” Kurapika said, lips twitching. He nearly broke away, but Leorio pressed his forehead to Kurapika’s, exhaling through his nose.

 

Leorio lifted his hands and moved his fingers upward through Kurapika’s hair, parting the silky strands and mapping his fingertips along his skin. Kurapika watched Leorio’s expression melt into genuine adoration and forced himself to resist kissing him again. “Your hair’s getting long, sunshine,” Leorio mused, his tongue lingering over the light syllables. He’d been swept up in the moment, forgetting the anniversary, the darkness of the apartment, the atmospheric lighting. All he could focus on was the man before him with eyes of liquid fire, hair like dawn, and skin intolerably soft to the touch.

 

Leaning into Leorio’s hold, Kurapika parted his lips, spoke in a whisper. “Should I cut it?”

 

“No,” Leorio said. His hands traced a path from Kurapika’s crown to his jaw, lingering there to curl around his cheeks and hold him in place. “I like it. It suits you.”

 

There were a thousand things Kurapika considered saying—variations of lewd jokes and snide remarks—but he found he couldn’t bring himself to voice them. As sweet as Leorio had proven to be, Kurapika had been changing over time, made soft by persistence and gentle persuasion.

 

To compromise, Kurapika snaked one hand from behind Leorio’s head and pinched his earlobe. Leorio flinched, contorted his face into an expression of bewilderment—with wide eyes and knitted brow—but stayed silent. Kurapika grazed his own lower lip with his teeth and batted his eyelashes. “Leorio,” he said, “how long are you going to tease me?”

 

“I’m not—”

 

“ _Leorio_.” Thumbs following the edge of Leorio’s cheekbones, Kurapika marveled at the man before him, rugged in looks but gentle at heart. He spoke with a light, nearly humorous tone, despite his rigid expression. “I have told you before that I am not a patient man. Do you remember that?”

 

“I remember.” Leorio spoke as though at a confessional, as though he found it difficult to speak. “How could I forget?”

 

“Then why—”

 

“Well, I thought we might do something a little different tonight—if you’d be willing, of course,” Leorio said, averting his eyes to the flames on the table. They burned his vision, left bright afterimages wherever he looked.

 

Kurapika raised an eyebrow, enticed by Leorio’s hesitation to speak and the surprising initiative. He dared to allow his fingers trace the ridges of Leorio’s bones, brushing over his ears enough to make him shiver. “Oh? And just what did you have in mind?”

 

Without speaking, Leorio fluttered his hands down Kurapika’s neck, the pads of his fingers applying the faintest pressure, and followed the curve of his arms, raising the skin in his wake. Leorio stepped closer so that he could only see Kurapika if he strained his eyes; he lowered his hands further, fingers gliding over shirt sleeves and elbows, dropping to Kurapika’s hips and circling around to find his ass. He curled his hands around the muscles there, the gentle pressure lighting something almost dangerous inside of Kurapika.

 

Craning so that his lips nearly touched Leorio’s neck, Kurapika fought the overwhelming urge to bite and suck at the tender skin, to leave purple marks to indicate passionate possession. “Leorio,” Kurapika said, his breath hot on Leorio’s throat, “just what do you think you’re—”

 

Before he could finish, Leorio hoisted Kurapika up, holding Kurapika’s hips to his stomach hard enough to feel the shift of bone. Kurapika instinctively curled his fingers around the lapel of Leorio’s jacket to steady himself, eyes wide and breathing sharp.

 

Leorio supported his weight effortlessly, met Kurapika’s gaze. Earnest, he inclined his head to kiss Kurapika, who allowed the action in place of an immediate answer. Even in the darkness, Kurapika could feel Leorio’s blush in the warmth of his skin, his fevered mouth, as his insistent tongue traced the inner edge of Kurapika’s lips and tumbled over Kurapika’s tongue, controlled but nearing the edge of impulse. The spontaneity of it all caught Kurapika off guard, and he moved mechanically, falling into Leorio’s rhythm with his thoughts a muddled mess.

 

When they parted, Leorio adjusted his hold, moving one hand up Kurapika’s spine. “I think it’s my turn,” Leorio said.

 

“Your turn for _what_?” Kurapika said breathlessly, intrigued and desperate for explanation.

 

“To be in charge.”

 

There was a dangerous glint in his eye which drove Kurapika to tighten his thighs around Leorio’s torso, heat spreading throughout his body. “Very well,” Kurapika said, leaning into Leorio to rest his head on his shoulder, teeth grazing the soft skin of his neck. “I believe I like this side of you. Let’s see where this leads, shall we?”

 

Leorio arched his neck away, and Kurapika felt a blankness probe his mind, freezing him. He waited, almost fearful, until Leorio spoke. “You’ll let me be in charge, won’t you?”

 

“Yes,” Kurapika said. “To the best of my ability.”

 

“Good,” Leorio said, his voice low. “Then be _patient_ and do as I say. Do you understand?”

 

He lowered his chin to meet Kurapika’s eyes, and though there was an unfamiliar element in his gaze, Kurapika found the kindness he’d come to love just beneath the surface. Something—everything, perhaps—made it so easy for Kurapika to trust him, to relax in his arms and soften, and in that moment, Kurapika wanted nothing more than to see how the night would play out.

 

Kurapika smiled, nuzzling his cheek against Leorio’s suit. “I do.”

 

Leorio responded by trailing the hand on Kurapika’s spine up to his neck, wrapping his fingers around it with his palm resting against spine, fingertips barely brushing against his ear before clinging to the rounded bone, and drew him up straighter to face him properly. Kurapika parted his lips, a thrill pricking his skin, clouding his thoughts. Taking advantage of the opportunity, Leorio darted forward, all forceful lips and panting breath and eyes squeezed shut. Kurapika’s hands found Leorio’s face, and he returned the kiss with equal intensity, his awareness heightened with understanding, flicking his tongue out to taste—now finding Leorio’s lips flavored with the sweetness of chocolate and the almond sting of amaretto.

 

He withdrew to catch his breath, inhaling to fill his aching lungs, and Leorio demonstrated no hesitation, lips falling down to line his jaw, following the tendons in his neck, teeth grazing the surface before he suckled the skin.

 

“Leorio,” Kurapika said, trying to clear his head. “Leorio, have you—been drinking?”

 

“Only had one before I came here,” Leorio said, teasing Kurapika’s earlobe with his teeth.

 

“Is that why you’re—like this—tonight?” Head tilted back, Kurapika found it difficult to speak. Leorio was certainly acting strangely; it wasn’t as though Kurapika disliked it—quite the opposite, as evidenced by his burning skin and the undeniable stiffness straining against the fabric of his pants—but he was nevertheless a bit concerned.

 

Leorio set Kurapika down on the table, almost too roughly, and smacked both hands down on either side. “That has nothing to do with this. I promise,” Leorio said earnestly, leaning forward so that Kurapika could clearly see the redness in his face, a sheen of passion in his eyes. “I had a drink to take the edge off, that’s all.”

 

“Nervous?” Kurapika said, teasing.

 

“No, of course not,” Leorio said, scowling. “But I don’t… I’m not—”

 

Searching Leorio’s face for the root of his hesitation, Kurapika lay one of his hands over Leorio’s, his thumb stroking the side. “What’s wrong?” he said.

 

After a moment of deliberation—of twisted features and ultimate surrender—Leorio spoke. “You—we’ve been together for three months now,” Leorio huffed. “It’s time we switch roles, don’t you think?”

 

Kurapika blinked before recognition settled over him and he adopted a critical tone. “Have you done it before?”

 

“Of course I have,” Leorio said through gritted teeth, his hips aligning with the fronts of  Kurapika’s spread knees. “But before you I’d never… been the one to… you know…”

 

Kurapika opened his mouth wide, as though yawning, but the corners of his lips pointed upward, his tongue rolling against the backs of his teeth. “Ah, I see,” he said. “You’d never been fucked before—is that it?” At Leorio’s scalding look, Kurapika bit his lip, forcing his laughter into the pit of his stomach so it wouldn’t escape. “And tonight, you want to fuck _me_. Tell me I’m right.” When Leorio responded with silence, Kurapika reached to unfasten the buttons of Leorio’s suit jacket, unhitching them without issue. “Go on. Say it for me, Leorio.”

 

“Oi, _I’m_ in charge tonight—”

 

“I want to hear you say it.” There was power in Kurapika’s voice, but more than that, a raw and ravenous _need_ had developed, seemed to lace his tongue with intent.

 

Leorio swallowed. He eyes drifted over Kurapika—from the crown of his silken head to the slender curve of his shoulders, the way his shirt moved when he breathed and the tightness of his pants around his thighs, his crotch—before returning to his face. “God, I want to fuck you.”

 

Kurapika let his head loll to the side, lips curving coquettishly. “Is that all?”

 

“I want to—make you feel good.”

 

“How good?”

 

Leorio’s breath hitched, and his eyes seemed to flash in the darkness. “So good you don’t want to stop until morning. I want to fuck you so hard you can’t say a single damn word otherwise.”

 

“Then do it,” Kurapika said, practically salivating. He wove his fingers into Leorio’s hair, tugging, raising his hips off the table. “I’m _waiting_.”

 

Without any restraint, Leorio lurched forward, pressing between Kurapika’s legs and kissing him insistently, without leaving room to breathe, teeth clashing and lips bruising. Under Leorio’s weight, Kurapika leaned backward, hands spreading on the table behind him. The glass vase wobbled. He broke away, panting. “Leorio, the flowers—”

 

He lifted Kurapika once more, drawing him closer and sucking on his lower lip, to carry him toward the bedroom. Kurapika found he couldn’t get enough, hands roaming along the fitted sleeves of Leorio’s jacket, longing to rip it off. When Leorio nudged open the door with his foot and approached the bed, Kurapika felt flushed with an urgent and insatiable desire.

 

Leorio released him onto the mattress, but Kurapika clung to him, arching his neck to reach Leorio’s lips. But Leorio held a finger to Kurapika’s mouth; when Kurapika’s tongue snaked out to lick it, Leorio bent closer, his eyes bearing a mild threat. “Be patient,” Leorio instructed. “I want to savor this. I’m going to draw this out as long as possible.”

 

Kurapika pouted; the sight of such a sweet expression nearly drove Leorio wild. Tilting his head, Kurapika said, “You’re such a tease.”

 

“I’m in no hurry,” Leorio said, planting both hands on either of Kurapika’s knees and peering up at him. “But I may need your help with something in a little while. You up for the task?”

 

“Anything,” Kurapika said. “I’ll do anything you want.”

 

With a dubious expression, Leorio smirked. “For someone who’s insisted he be in control, you’ve got a real submissive streak—you know that?”

 

“I’ve got to keep you on your toes,” Kurapika said, reaching for the buttons on his own shirt. He hesitated near the top, meeting Leorio’s attentive eyes with innocuous ones of his own. “Is this all right, or would you like me to wait even longer?”

 

Leorio counted the buttons, followed the trail until it vanished, tucked into the waistband, and nodded. “Do it slowly—for me.”

 

“I didn’t think you could be so cruel.” Kurapika was surprised to find his fingers trembling as they trailed down, fumbling with each button, exceedingly aware of Leorio’s watching eyes. He laughed once he reached the bottom, white fabric parting at the center of his chest. “There,” he said, rolling his shoulders so that the shirt fell down to his elbows, baring his pale skin. He tossed his head to the side, leering up at Leorio through his bangs. “Now do you plan to make me suffer all night? Get on with it.”

 

“Eager, aren’t you?” he said, reaching for him. He avoided making contact with his bare arms and chest and tugged Kurapika’s shirt off, placing it on the dresser. He shrugged off his jacket, as well, loosening the tie from his throat but otherwise leaving it in place. When he turned back, Kurapika was reclining, supported by his hands behind him, the skin of his chest pale in the moonlight peeking through the cracks in the blinds. Leorio inhaled sharply, taking in the sight, before settling a hand on his hip. “Being in this position is nice. No wonder you like it so much.”

 

“Leorio,” Kurapika growled, clenching his teeth and threatening to rise. “How much longer will you make me wait?”

 

“Not much.” He moved closer, towering over Kurapika, and extended his arms, fingers framing the softness of his cheeks, the tips of his pinkies brushing the ridges of his ears. Kurapika stared at Leorio’s lips as his tongue slipped between them to linger along the lower one, the corners uplifting. “Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?”

 

“Oh, shut up.” Though Kurapika’s frown seemed to contort his entire face against Leorio’s hands, the heat coloring his skin was unmistakable.

 

Leorio raised one knee and rested it on the mattress against Kurapika’s thigh, heat lapping at the skin through their clothes. “What was that?”

 

“You’re embarrassing.” Kurapika’s ears were red even in the darkness, and he looked everywhere but Leorio’s eyes.

 

“I mean it,” Leorio said, drinking in the chagrined expression, the concealed delight. “I guess I should tell you more often so you believe me.”

 

Huffing, Kurapika trained his eyes on the opposite wall, at the gap between the blinds. “I’d prefer if you didn’t. If you say things like that, I’ll—” He clammed up, capturing his tongue between his teeth, until the heat spread from his cheeks to his shoulders.

 

“Hey,” Leorio said, thumbs stroking Kurapika’s jaw, fingernails scratching faintly against his throat as he swallowed. “You’d better get used to it.”

 

By the time Kurapika lifted his eyes, Leorio had climbed onto the bed and bent down to kiss him, one hand ensnaring in his hair and the other fluttering down the length of Kurapika’s chest, following the ridges of ribs and the taut outlines of lean muscles as he rose to meet Leorio. Kurapika willingly accepted the touch, snaked one hand around the loosened knot of Leorio’s tie to pull him down so Kurapika’s back could rest on the mattress. Rather than crush Kurapika beneath him, Leorio adjusted his position, one palm braced against the bed to hold himself up.

 

Leorio’s lips were gentle on Kurapika’s skin, patient but restrained, and Kurapika grabbed at the collar of Leorio’s shirt, blindly unbuttoning it with haste. When Leorio pulled sharply away, dislodging lips and tongue without warning, Kurapika froze on the last button, lifted his chin in small increments as though afraid of what he might find on Leorio’s face.

 

“Kurapika.” His expression wasn’t altogether stern, but his tone carried a threat of admonition, even as the skin below his eyes shifted upward, wrinkling at the corners.

 

“What?” Kurapika said, pushing the final button through the hole, the fabric parting fully from Leorio’s skin and dragging lightly across Kurapika’s stomach. “You don’t need it.” He spread his fingers along Leorio’s collarbone, slipping them between shirt and skin, and edged it over his shoulders, yanking it down to his elbows..

 

Leorio laughed, untangling his hand from Kurapika’s hair, and smoothed a palm over his cheek, gently rubbing his thumb over Kurapika’s parted lips. “How do you get your skin so soft, sunshine?” he asked quietly, the tips of his fingers drawing minute circles near his temple, his thumb steady.

 

“What? I don’t know, I use coconut oil to—to moisturize, I suppose,” Kurapika whispered, fumbling for the words. A slight chill arose from the center of his spine as he spoke, and he resolved to close his lips, emitting a low and broken hum; the vibration added to the pressure of Leorio’s thumb, and Kurapika felt himself grow warm, enveloped primarily by disbelief. “Why are you—Why are you asking that _right_ _now_?”

 

When Leorio sat up straight to shrug off his shirt, Kurapika focused on his thighs, which barely grazed his own hips, and bit his lip hard enough to feel his heartbeat. Leorio dropped the button-down to the floor with surprising fluidity before bending down to kiss Kurapika’s jawbone, tilting his head back against the bed with force. Directly into his ear, Leorio murmured, “A little conversation is nice now and then, don’t you think?”

 

“Why now? Save it for later,” Kurapika begged. “Discussing my daily routine is hardly important at the moment. We can have a pleasant chat another day. We can talk any other time.”

 

Leorio paused, let a weary breath rattle through his throat. “But we don’t talk. Do we?”

 

Kurapika’s lips parted—in shock, with no intention of objecting—but he shut them, unable to stare at Leorio with anything but softness and the faintest tinge of regret. He lifted his arms, ignoring the stiffness of his shoulders, and held Leorio’s face, cupping his cheeks and pulling him away from his neck so their eyes would meet. “You’re right. We don’t,” Kurapika said. “I’m sorry.”

 

“It’s my fault as much as yours,” Leorio said. He furrowed his brows, looking at the headboard. “Well, maybe not _as_ much.” Frowning, Kurapika squeezed his cheeks, pinching his lips until Leorio laughed. “All right, all right. I give.” He covered one of Kurapika’s hands and sobered. “Three months. We’ve been together for _three months_ , Kurapika, and I still feel like I hardly know you.”

 

“You at least know about my work now,” Kurapika offered, grimacing as soon as the words escaped.

 

“I didn’t know you use _coconut oil_ , and I sleep here most nights,” Leorio said, shaking his head. He made little paths over the back of Kurapika’s hand, tracing the lines of tendons. “It’s the little details I want. I want to know everything I can about you, but for that to happen—we need to be more open with each other. I think we can work on that. Don’t you?”

 

Gently, Kurapika pulled Leorio closer, aligned their lips and pulled back, smiling. “Absolutely,” he said. He found Leorio’s words to be full of the kind of honesty and devotion he had never before experienced. He _wanted_ to be open, to share everything with him, but Kurapika knew himself well enough to imagine how difficult the process of overwriting his own protocol—of keeping secrets, staying aloof, barring all attempts at getting _close_ to others—would be.

 

Leorio saw the fear cross his features and misread it. “I won’t make you do anything too demanding.” He shifted his hands to support his weight. His thumbs brushed against either of Kurapika’s shoulders. “We’ll go slow—not that you’re very good at that— _ow_.” Kurapika had pinched the skin just below Leorio’s cheekbones, scowling. “Sorry. I won’t even ask you to talk about yourself yet. Let’s work on having conversations first, and if you’d be willing to just listen—”

 

“No,” Kurapika interjected, pressing the pads of his fingers into the sides of Leorio’s neck, finding the pulse and measuring it against his own. “I’ll tell you anything you want to know. All you have to do is ask. But I can’t reveal any top secret information, I’m afraid.”

 

“And I thought I’d be privy to the intricate inner workings of the government with you under my control.”

 

Kurapika forced Leorio’s chin up, baring the bobbing cartilage as he swallowed, and adopted a tone of feigned menace. “Who’s under whose control exactly?”

 

In response, Leorio lifted his hands and lay them on Kurapika’s chest, smoothing them over the skin, the calluses on his palm rubbing over Kurapika’s nipples in a motion so unexpected, Kurapika could only exhale, his grip on Leorio’s head loosening when his shoulders rolled back. Leorio thumbed the sensitive flesh and grinned. “Looks like it’s still me,” he said, spreading his other fingers over Kurapika’s cool skin and looked down with reverence, lingering on the softness of his lips, the flush across the bridge of his nose, and the roundness of his eyes.

 

For a moment, Kurapika met Leorio’s tender gaze before his mouth quivered. “Leorio—”

 

“Yes?”

 

Kurapika drew in a steadying breath, shifting his legs so that his thighs brushed and his ankles rubbed together. “Would you be so kind as to continue where we left off?”

 

“Still in a rush—”

 

“I was not the one to deviate this time—though I grant it was a necessary interruption,” Kurapika said, eyes burning. “And if I have to take initiative, I _will_.”

 

As Kurapika moved, giving the impression of rising regardless of the answer, Leorio planted both hands on his shoulders, just firmly enough to keep him in place. “No, I don’t think that’s necessary,” he said. When Kurapika settled back down, shifting his jaw in mild agitation, Leorio brushed his bangs from his forehead. With his other hand, he reached down to Kurapika’s waistband, teasing the skin just above it. “Bear with me.”

 

Kurapika nodded. When Leorio rose up onto his knees, he slid his hand lower to palm Kurapika’s cock through the crotch of his pants, folding his grip around the curving bulge and watching for a reaction. Kurapika hissed through his teeth.

 

“Oh, you can do better than that.”

 

“What the hell are you—talking about?” Kurapika craned his neck, throwing back his head when Leorio pressed down, stroking upward.

 

Leorio used his free hand to unbutton Kurapika’s pants, lowering the zipper. “You’re holding yourself back,” he said. Reflecting Kurapika’s fondness for verbal response, he whispered, “Come on, let me hear you.”

 

Through gritted teeth, Kurapika said, “ _Make me_.”

 

“With pleasure,” Leorio said. “But you’ve got to raise your hips for me first. Just like that.” When Kurapika obeyed, he easily shimmied Kurapika’s pants and boxers off, easing them over his knees and down past his ankles. “Perfect.”

 

With his palms on the sheets between Kurapika’s knees, Leorio let his gaze travel up the taut curves of his legs, lingering on the erect length of his cock, bent back and begging for attention. His eyes moved further to find muted fury in Kurapika’s eyes, fighting his own desperation. “If you make me wait any longer, I swear—”

 

“I know, I know,” Leorio soothed, curling a hand around Kurapika’s ankle and pushing it back toward his hips until he bent his knee to make room. “You’ve been very patient.”

 

“Are you mocking me?” Kurapika said, inclining his head and shifting his shoulders.

 

“No, of course not,” Leorio said. “I’m praising you.”

 

Before Kurapika could retaliate, Leorio reached forward to tease a single finger up the throbbing length. Kurapika shuddered, and Leorio wrapped his palm around its base, leaning over Kurapika as he pumped his hand. His other hand fled from Kurapika’s ankle and sought other skin, trailing along the folded flesh by his hips and across the ridges of his ribs, his touch almost tickling as it circled back down over his navel. Leorio smoothed his fingers down the shaft, flexing his palm as he moved, until he heard Kurapika’s labored breathing.

 

“How’s that?” Leorio breathed, eyes focused on Kurapika’s face—pinched eyes and gaping mouth. “You want more?”

 

“Why are you asking me?” Kurapika managed to say, his fingers sprawling atop the sheets, grasping. “Isn’t it— _ah_ —obvious?”

 

Leorio gave a wry grin and thumbed the head of Kurapika’s cock, making his hips twitch. “Thought I’d check,” he said innocently, retrieving his unoccupied hand and pressing against Kurapika’s straight leg to bend back his other knee, inching backward to give himself ample room to work.

 

Before Kurapika could speak, Leorio brought his head down, lips spread wide as he circled the tip with his tongue, and the words on Kurapika’s mind vanished, replaced by a short escape of air. As Leorio’s mouth enveloped his cock, Kurapika drew his thighs in closer, firm muscles grinding against Leorio’s broad shoulders, soft flesh indenting against his bones.

 

Leorio let his hands roam, trailing down the length of Kurapika’s thighs to grab his ass, thumbs pressed into the muscle, raising his hips. Kurapika gasped as Leorio increased his pace, reaching for Leorio’s hair, fumbling with the locks before latching on. Leorio interpreted his response—the tremors in his arms and the bucking of his hips—as approval, swirled his tongue around the tip and sucked harder.

 

Arching his back to adjust his grip, Kurapika felt his abdomen tighten at his core and crossed his ankles over Leorio’s spine. He thrust his head back. “Leorio— _ah_ —I’m going to—”

 

Leorio released Kurapika with a _pop_ , tearing out of Kurapika’s trembling clutch, and panted. “Already?”

 

“Don’t _patronize_ me.”

 

Gazing upon Kurapika’s sweat-dappled form, the way his skin glistened and how his chest expanded and compressed rapidly, Leorio gulped, his hands already moving to his own zipper. _Hell_ , he thought, catching himself smiling, _is this heaven, or am I becoming a sap?_ He almost laughed, and Kurapika caught the shudder of his shoulders.

 

Kurapika growled, straining to sit up. “Fine, I’ll finish it myself—”

 

“I don’t think so.” Crawling forward, Leorio maneuvered himself so he loomed over Kurapika, nestling between his thighs. He’d freed his own cock, had wrapped his fingers around the shaft, and lowered his hips until he could curl his hand around Kurapika’s as well, brushing them against one another and stroking them simultaneously. Leorio clenched his teeth but couldn’t contain his moan.

 

“Oh, _fuck_ , Leorio—” Kurapika’s eyes seemed dazed through the crack of his eyelids, and his hands fluttered desperately, without destination, until they wound in his own hair, clawing at the roots.

 

Despite having only just begun to pleasure himself, Leorio felt ready to burst, and he quickened his pace, heavy breaths seeping through his lips. Kurapika squirmed beneath his touch, and the sight of the younger man, usually composed and commanding, so unhinged was nearly enough to send Leorio over the edge.

 

“I’m—God, I’m—”

 

“Cum with me, Kurapika,” Leorio managed, the words quiet but resonant. He hunched forward until his breath blanketed Kurapika’s skin, ricocheted off his collarbone and crept onto his throat. Kurapika stretched to place greedy kisses along Leorio’s neck, detangling his hands and locking his fingers at Leorio’s nape. As Leorio’s hand moved faster, he shut his eyes in spite of himself and his desire to watch the expression on Kurapika’s face as he became completely unwound.

 

“ _Ah~_ ” The sound of Kurapika’s voice as he thrust upward forced Leorio’s eyes open, and he caught the unmistakable flush of skin, fluttering eyelashes, lips parted and round, as Kurapika came, bucking and gasping, into his hand. At this, Leorio followed suit, body tensing for release. Afterward, he lingered above Kurapika, one hand braced against the mattress, his own lungs heaving as Kurapika shivered, his eyes closed.

 

Leorio stroked Kurapika’s cheek, let his thumb glide over the ridge of his bones and settle just under his lips. “God, you’re gorgeous,” he whispered. “And so compliant, too.”

 

“Shut up,” Kurapika muttered, stuttering through the syllables. He opened his eyes and stared in a way that could best be described as lovingly furious. “You’re a bastard, you know that? And more of a sadist than I thought.”

 

Leorio pulled back so that he sat between Kurapika’s languid thighs and released his lingering hold which bound them together. With a smirk, Leorio brought his hand to his mouth and let Kurapika see the flick of his tongue between his lips. Licking his fingers, Leorio maintained eye contact, much to Kurapika’s disbelief and unmistakable arousal. “Now, speaking of sadism,” Leorio said, “where do you keep your rope?”

 

“My _rope_?” Kurapika repeated, chest heaving. He propped himself up on his elbows with some effort and stared, bewildered, at Leorio. “You mean—”

 

“I can’t let you have all the fun, can I?” Leorio smirked. At Kurapika’s silence, he blinked. “Don’t tell me _you_ ’ _ve_ never been tied up.”

 

Kurapika shut his eyes for a moment and bit his lip, his body trembling with anticipation. “No, I have not.”

 

“Really,” Leorio said bemusedly, leaning over Kurapika’s quivering form, covering one his hands with his own. “Would you like to try?”

 

“Yes, with you, I would,” Kurapika said without hesitation. “Do you know how?”

 

“I thought you might teach me.”

 

“Right now?” Kurapika said, bending his knees to brush up against Leorio’s hips. He batted his eyelashes. “I’m not sure I have the capacity to—”

 

“All I want is to restrain your hands,” Leorio explained. He wrapped his fingers around the bones of his wrist, raising Kurapika’s palms and creasing the blankets with his knuckles.

 

“That’s all?” Kurapika breathed.

 

Leorio chuckled, leaning down to kiss Kurapika’s hand, letting his eyelashes brush the skin. “We can experiment more later,” Leorio said. “I like to take things slow.”

 

“I’ve noticed.”

 

“Just a simple knot; that’s all I need,” Leorio said. “Are you up to the task?”

 

“I think I’ll manage.” Kurapika wrestled his hands from Leorio’s hold and twisted sideways, bending over the edge of the bed, the soft skin of his hip grazing Leorio’s waist as he moved. He reached for the drawer, fumbled with the knob, and leered at Leorio from the corner of his eye. “In there. I leave you to find what you need.”

 

As Leorio smirked and crawled over him, Kurapika folded back onto the mattress, head tossed to the side and arms bent away from his body. The atmosphere was intriguing yet almost unnameable. There was thrill, certainly, which raised the skin on his arms and tightened his chest, but there was comfort, too, soothing his heart and filling his head with thoughts of trust and contentment.

 

Hunched over the edge of the mattress, Leorio rummaged through the drawer’s contents. He whistled in amusement, earning a rise from Kurapika.

 

“What is it? Something catch your eye?” Kurapika said, inclining his neck slightly.

 

“You’ve got quite a collection,” Leorio said, parsing through bundles of coiled rope, packaged toys, and neatly organized bonds and gags.

 

“I told you before,” Kurapika said, measuring his breathing and watching the muscles of Leorio’s back shift. “It’s a hobby.”

 

Leorio pinched the slender handle of a riding crop and admired the sleekness. Dropping it back into place, he turned to look at Kurapika over his shoulder. “Most of these look pretty unused.” With a coy smile, he prompted, “Recent purchases?”

 

“Not all of them.”

 

The almost sheepish tone sparked interest in Leorio. “Oh? Then why—”

 

Kurapika sighed, rubbed his thumb against his fingers and shut his eyes. “I haven’t had many opportunities to use them,” he said, as though pained. “So most of the items there are effectively new.”

 

Frowning, Leorio returned his gaze to the drawer, tapping a finger against the sturdy wood frame. “Sorry, I was under the impression you’d… been with many others, so—”

 

Kurapika sat up, eyes flashing, fingers curled into tight fists. “That’s—” He stopped himself, bowing his head and swallowing the words of denial. “It’s true, I’ve led a… promiscuous life until now. But I want you to understand two things.” Beneath his bangs, Kurapika smiled. “First, you may take me for a romantic, but I never indulge these desires, with these things, unless I feel a draw, a connection, if you will. Second,” he said, lifting his face and reaching out, letting his cool fingertips rest along the curve of Leorio’s hip. “Second, I’ve never enjoyed it quite so much as I do with you.”

 

Half-hidden by the edge of the mattress, Leorio felt blood rushing to his head, burning to the tips of his ears, and he laughed nervously. “Now _you’re_ the one saying embarrassing things.”

 

“What can I say? You’re rubbing off on me.”

 

Leorio lifted his face enough to see Kurapika in his peripheral, enough to catch the fond smile and unmistakable adoration present on his features. He could only grin to himself, considering himself lucky if not altogether blessed. Returning his attention to the drawer, Leorio plucked a small bundle of red rope, a sealed condom, and a bottle of lube from their organized places and tucked them into the crook of his elbow. His fingers hovered over other things—leather straps, a ball gag, a discrete vibrator, and mystery items hidden in unopened packages—before resolving to make use of them another time.

 

After sliding the drawer shut, Leorio lay his haul on the sheets and returned to Kurapika’s side, one hand resting atop the rope. “Can you show me?” he said. “I just need a simple knot.”

 

“Nervous you’ll make a mistake?”

 

“I could spend time practicing, but I feel like I’ve made you wait long enough. Don’t you?” Leorio said, moving to touch Kurapika’s chin, fingers brushing against his skin enough to send a tremor through his shoulders, threatening to fold his elbows at Leorio’s command.  

 

Kurapika resisted the urge to throw himself at Leorio, to submit and grovel. It wasn’t that Leorio had done anything exceptionally seductive—he was an amateur and lacked the dextrous skill Kurapika had fostered in himself—but all Kurapika knew was that he was indeed tired of waiting.

 

He sat up, crossing his ankles, and reached for the rope bundle, deliberately letting his fingers linger over Leorio’s knuckles. “I admit I’ve never attempted to educate anyone, so I’ll have to demonstrate,” Kurapika said, eyes downcast. “Would you rather I tie your wrists—” He saw the flicker of wary accusation in Leorio’s expression and hastily reproached it. “— _temporarily_ —or my own ankles?”

 

Leorio thrust out his arms, palms upward, and nodded. “Go ahead.”

 

Unraveling the rope with tender precision, Kurapika found himself relaxing, the familiar texture a tactile comfort. “I prefer to wrap the rope around the wrist multiple times, like cuffs,” he said fondly as he maneuvered the rope with slow motions, the edges of his fingernails grazing the supple skin surrounding his tendons. “You can make it as tight as you’d like on me; I don’t mind.” He finished, leaving the ends of the rope loose, and ran his thumbs over the knots. “There,” he whispered. “Not so difficult, is it?”

 

“No, I think I can do it. You should give yourself more credit; you’re a fine teacher—in more ways than one.” Baring his wrists, Leorio pouted. “Untie me?”

 

Kurapika did as instructed, savoring the provisional submission as Leorio patiently remained still. When the rope lay in a neat coil between them, Kurapika leaned forward, resting his hands on Leorio’s thigh, thumbs touching. “Well, Leorio,” he said, spreading his fingers over Leorio’s skin, “I am at your disposal. Do as you wish.”

 

With a suppressed shudder, Leorio adjusted his position, forcing Kurapika to move, so he was facing him directly. Before reaching for the discarded rope, Leorio grasped both of Kurapika’s hands and brought them to his lips, eyes fluttering closed. He kissed each finger, felt Kurapika’s tension—whatever ounce of it remained—melt away. When he opened his eyes, he found Kurapika watching him, his stare unreadable. Leorio rubbed his thumbs over Kurapika’s knuckles and laughed, the sound mellow. “I know, I know,” he said. “I’m always making you wait. I’m sorry.”

 

“No,” Kurapika said softly, batting his eyelashes as he dragged his gaze away. “No, I’m coming to like this—your sincerity, your lack of urgency. I find it… sweet.” He lifted his face, though the motion seemed forced, as though he were embarrassed. “I don’t mind,” he said resolutely. “You’re changing me, piece by piece, and I think I’m better for it.”

 

Stunned, Leorio studied Kurapika’s face, found himself falling all over again, found traces of himself in the softness of Kurapika’s eyes and the gentle curve of his lips. Leaning back to catch his breath, Leorio was shocked to realize he was blinking away the threat of tears. Chuckling, he said, “You surprised me.”

 

“Wouldn’t be the first time, would it?”

 

“No, I guess not.”

 

“Well?” Kurapika said, dipping his chin lower and peering up at Leorio. “What are you waiting for?”

 

Leorio hesitated, mind and heart racing, before he responded. “I really just want to kiss you again.”

 

“Oh, don’t hold back for _my_ sake,” Kurapika said, tilting his chin to the side and baring his neck. “By all means, indulge yourself.”

 

Leorio nearly obeyed, bending forward before stopping himself. His hands fell upon the rope decisively. “No. I’ll wait.”

 

Extending his arms once more, Kurapika pouted. “Stingy.” As Leorio gently wound the rope around his wrists—so gently Kurapika thought he might break—Kurapika stared at his lips, let his hands fall on Leorio’s ankles. “I’ll just have to do it myself.”

 

“I thought I was doing a decent job—!”

 

When Kurapika kissed him, there was heat in the subdued intensity, but it was sweeter than anything. Leorio froze, still gripping the rope mid-knot, and allowed Kurapika to do as he pleased for the time being. Kurapika’s lips trailed down his chin, followed the edge of his jaw, made a path along the length of his neck to the bone of his shoulder. He rested there, settling under clavicle, against heartbeat.

 

Jostling his wrists against Leorio’s legs, Kurapika smiled. “Well, you didn’t have to stop, darling,” he said, earning a scoff. “But you may continue with your work.”

 

Tongue tensed against the backs of his teeth, Leorio shook his head. “Well, if I have your permission—”

 

“I _have_ just granted it to you.”

 

“—don’t mind if I do.” He bit down on the words as he tightened the knot, and Kurapika stiffened then shuddered. All at once, Leorio braced his hands, locked his fingers under the knuckles, and attempted to gingerly slip his fingers between the rope to loosen it. “Oh, God, is it too tight? Let me—”

 

Kurapika raised his hands from Leorio’s palms up to his chin, fanned out his hands to cup his cheeks. “It’s perfect,” he said, meandering fingertips grazing the stubble on Leorio’s jaw. “You learn quickly. And with _me_ as your teacher, it’s no wonder—”

 

When Leorio surged forward to kiss Kurapika, he did so with such momentum that Kurapika nearly fell backward, his words swallowed. Leorio seized the rope to hold him up, and the initial surprise faded into comfort as Kurapika returned the kiss, pressing back against Leorio’s mouth and parting his lips to permit entrance.

 

Breathless, Leorio traced the underside of Kurapika’s tongue with his own, and he let one of his hands fall away to Kurapika’s waist, his fingers tenderly folding around ribs, to draw him closer. He broke away only to inhale, but found himself hesitating, his gaze traveling, drinking in moonlight skin and suppressed desire in the subtle shift of hips against the mattress. Kurapika watched him, expelling short breaths which shook his shoulders, and compelled himself to remain stagnant, even as his body yearned to resist.

 

“Turn around,” Leorio murmured. He released Kurapika who paused, hands suspended in the air for a moment. “And get on your knees.”

 

After he searched for the intention in Leorio’s commands, recognition flashed across Kurapika’s face, consummating in a salivating, sly smile. “Ah, _that’s_ how you want it. I was wondering what you’d do.”

 

“Please.” Leorio’s voice held a unfamiliar, primitive desperation which made Kurapika shiver with delight. In the darkness, Leorio’s eyes seemed carnivorous, with steady gaze and hooded lids. “I think we’ve waited long enough.”

 

Kurapika leaned forward, arching his neck, and let his teeth rest on Leorio’s lower lip. “I’m at your command,” he whispered, rising up to properly kiss Leorio once more. Drawing back, he caught Leorio’s lip between his teeth and bit down just hard enough to hold him in place, knowing he couldn’t convey all he wanted to with words alone. “But don’t test my patience any further. If you mean to do something, _do it_.”

 

When Kurapika backed away, Leorio felt the promise of a bruise on the underside of his lip, but he didn’t mind the ache. He watched Kurapika shift, each movement deliberate—the slow extension of his legs, the toss of hair over his shoulder, the roll of his ankles as he settled into the new position. Kurapika bent to dent the mattress with his elbows, bunched the sheets around his knees as he spread his legs, and turned his head.

 

“Well?”

 

Leorio crawled past Kurapika’s prostrated frame, his gaze shamelessly deviating from his goal to appreciate the slender arms and smooth arches, until he perched near Kurapika’s head. “Wrists.”

 

“What is it _now_?” Kurapika groaned, obeying nonetheless by raising his arms to the best of his ability.

 

In response, Leorio seized the rope and jerked Kurapika forward, and if he hadn’t been paying close attention, he would have gotten a face full of pillow. He stared down, chest heaving from the sudden motion, and tried to determine whether he felt furious or aroused—the answer did not come easily.

 

Supporting his weight with his abdomen, Kurapika glared up at Leorio through his bangs. “Bastard,” he said, but the word lacked venom.

 

Using the long twin strands of unused cord from his handiwork, Leorio tied a simple knot around two of the headboard beams. He sat back, face twisted into a smug expression, and placed one hand on Kurapika’s shoulder, his palm wandering to linger at the small of his back. “That should do the trick, I think.”

 

Curious, Kurapika tugged at the rope. It didn’t budge. He blinked, batting his eyelashes. “You sly devil,” he said. “You said you were an amateur.”

 

“I wasn’t lying,” Leorio said, fingers trailing over the curves and dipping down thighs as he returned to his original position. With both hands resting on either of Kurapika’s calves, Leorio grinned, knowing Kurapika couldn’t see it. “Call it divine inspiration.”

 

“Whatever it is,” Kurapika said, flexing his toes, “I must admit that I like it.”

 

“I can tell.”

 

Kurapika hung his head, thankful that Leorio couldn’t see the heat on his cheeks, tainting them flushed. He laughed, felt the muscles of his legs tensing in anticipation. The fingers of Leorio’s left hand fluttered at the edges of his knees, slowly migrating upward, but aside from this, Kurapika felt no indication of Leorio’s presence. He arched his back, shifting his hips backward, and let out a quiet whine for effect. “Leorio, I _swear_ —”

 

The hands on Kurapika’s ass were so forceful, he jolted forward, biting his lip and curling his hands around the bars for support. Before he could speak, Leorio dove in, nibbling at the firm flesh, while he probed Kurapika’s hole with a prepared index finger. Kurapika lay his head on the pillow sideways, shoulders stretching above him, and tried to control his breathing. When Leorio plunged his finger deeper, curling it down, Kurapika gasped, a low moan pooling from his lips.

 

“That’s it,” Leorio said softly, eagerly worming in a second finger. Kurapika squirmed under his touch, knees sliding forward and spine bending. “Let’s see how you sound when you really unwind.”

 

“Shut up,” Kurapika said. Leorio pressed on a tender external spot with his thumb, and Kurapika whimpered, clamping his teeth on the pillowcase and squeezing his eyes shut.

 

As he sucked at the soft skin just above where the thigh began, Leorio stretched Kurapika thoroughly, spreading his fingers and crooking them enough to coax the smallest, delightful sounds from Kurapika’s lips. At the insertion of a third and final finger, Kurapika curled his fingers tighter, knuckles white, and the metal of the bedframe shook.

 

After pressing down into a breath-hitching spot and spreading Kurapika to a satisfying degree, Leorio began to withdraw his fingers, earning a labored exhale from Kurapika. He wiped his fingers with a spare tissue and tore open the condom. As he slipped it on, he winced at how sensitive his own cock was, already dripping with pre-cum again. He let his hands roam as he approached again, following the curves of Kurapika’s toned legs, his fingers moving as though autonomous and desiring to savor the sensation of skin on skin, mapping the muscles beneath.

 

Leorio squeezed the lube first into his hand and dropped the closed bottle onto the floor. “You ready, sunshine?”

 

“I’ve _been_ ready, you ass,” Kurapika growled. Sweat clung to his forehead, adhering soft blonde strands to his skin. Moonlight caught the divots of his back, the ridges of his shoulder blades, and Leorio considered he could easily be an artist’s muse, with how beautiful he looked even when coming undone. Kurapika panted, and though his eyes were shadowed, Leorio thought he could see something burning within. “If you don’t hurry up, I’ll be forced to fuck myself.”

 

“There’s no need for that.” Chuckling, Leorio rose up on his knees, nudging Kurapika’s legs further apart. The heat spreading from Kurapika’s skin was almost concerning, borderline feverish. But Leorio knew he was just as warm; the air in the room was thick with humidity, and Leorio resolved to crack the window before falling asleep, no matter how spent he was.

 

Kurapika ground his hips back against Leorio’s, and Leorio shut his eyes to exhale, refocusing. “ _Leorio_ ~” Kurapika practically purred, pressing into him, aligning their hips at just the right angle and nearly taking over.

 

“ _Fuck_ ,” Leorio whispered, grabbing Kurapika’s hips and forcing him away for a moment, to regain his composure, to see through the haze of flushed excitement and adjust his position. Kurapika flexed his fingers, craned his neck to peer through fluttered lashes with pouting lips and rosy cheeks, and the sight nearly drove Leorio mad.

 

“You know, I’ve never seen such a beautiful man,” Leorio said breathlessly, smoothing his hands over Kurapika’s waist, circling around to his stomach and grazing, like ghost touch, over the pale hair sprouting there. After retrieving one hand to guide his cock into place, Leorio chuckled, a sliver of commingled disbelief and awe glazing his eyes. “I can’t believe you’re mine.”

 

With that, he entered Kurapika, slowly at first but with firm force and precise movement. Kurapika grit his teeth and splayed his fingers, a sharp breath hissing through his lips.

 

Leorio paused, tracing a redundant circle at the base of Kurapika’s ribs. “You all right?”

 

“Mmm,” Kurapika hummed, words a garbled amalgamation in his mind. He struggled to latch onto simple ones. “ _Keep going._ ”

 

At his command, Leorio drew back and thrust again, earning a pleasurable cry. As Leorio continued, he watched Kurapika—the shifting muscles in his back, the sweat crawling along his skin, how his hands trembled around the slender bars—and grew impassioned, rolling his hips, delighted by the reciprocal motion as Kurapika followed suit.

 

Leorio bent forward over Kurapika, increasing his pace, to hear the short breaths, the quiet whimpers and gasps, with more ease. With one hand on Kurapika’s hip, Leorio rubbed Kurapika’s nipple with the other, teasing and pinching it until Kurapika pressed his forehead into the pillow, eyes shut. Leorio lined his back with rough kisses, sucking at the skin to leave reminders of his presence there.

 

Kurapika’s fingers curled. Leorio noticed the start of a quiver in his legs, and before Kurapika could even think of speaking, Leorio pulled out and away.

 

His lungs desperately sucking in air, Kurapika growled. “What the _hell_ do you think—you’re doing?”

 

In response, Leorio swept an arm under Kurapika’s knees and simultaneously placed his other hand against his spine. With unforeseen strength and grace, he flipped Kurapika over, his wrists still suspended above him with the loose leeway Leorio had accounted for.

 

Kurapika tried to look away, a mild tremor made evident in his lips. “What are you doing?” The inquiry was softer, filled with embarrassment, and Leorio grasped his chin with a touch as gentle as starlight—as autumn rain and warm wine—and forced him to meet his eyes.

 

“I just want to see your face,” Leorio said sweetly. “Always, but especially when I make you cum. Is that so difficult to understand?”

 

“Wha—” Kurapika couldn’t hide the heat burning his body, and he despaired that he couldn’t even cover his face. “You’re so—”

 

“I know, I know,” Leorio said, folding Kurapika’s legs back and raising his hips. “I’m embarrassing.”

 

Leorio smiled tenderly from his position of power, and all at once, Kurapika realized how much he wanted to see that expression every day—every morning at dawn, every evening just before dreaming, and every moment in between. He parted his lips to say something, though he hadn’t the faintest idea _what_ , but settled his shoulders back into the mattress, stunned and defeated. Above him, Leorio hesitated, watching his expression with a note of concern. Kurapika nodded. “Go on,” he said, his voice soft and sweet. “Don’t stop now.”

 

Not one to disappoint, Leorio gave in, palms slipping on the undersides of slick thighs as he adjusted the arrangement of Kurapika’s limbs. He met Kurapika’s eyes one last time to confirm before easing inside once more. When Kurapika wrestled to wrap his legs around Leorio’s middle, Leorio moved his hands to either side of Kurapika’s chest, gaining leverage to make better use of his position as he thrust inside.

 

His gaze was glued to Kurapika’s face, the pinched brow and gaping mouth, and Leorio leaned down, sucking at his nipple with frenzied ambition and grazing it with teeth and tongue. Kurapika gasped, arching his back to give better access. Working his hips, Leorio moved rhythmically, savoring the connection and restraining himself.

 

“ _H-harder~_ Kurapika breathed, twisting beneath Leorio, who couldn’t help but obey, burrowing deeper inside Kurapika, angling his cock just right so Kurapika cried out, his wet tongue gliding along his lower lip.

 

Hands curled with palms heavenward, Kurapika tugged against the headboard. He felt the rope slipping, its anchoring knot coming loose. Leorio, he realized, was no expert after all. With a violent jerk of his shoulders, Kurapika freed his hands from the bedframe. Leorio nearly froze, but Kurapika’s bound hands slipping over his head and collecting at the nape of his neck spurred him on.

 

Kurapika pressed down hard on the vertebrae, bringing Leorio’s face close enough to exchange breaths, and brought their lips together. As Leorio rocked his hips harder, Kurapika’s moans muffled against Leorio’s lips and tongue, but he didn’t want to separate, even as his mind grew cloudy and his body tense.

 

Leorio pulled away, gasping, and Kurapika crossed his ankles against Leorio’s back, holding him tightly in place. As Kurapika panted, he found himself staring up at Leorio, at the sweat cresting along his hairline and the stubbornness clenched in his jaw, and for a moment, Kurapika considered closing his eyes to immerse himself fully.

 

He resisted, instead locking onto Leorio’s kind and feverish eyes. His breathing quickened, and Kurapika fell perfectly into Leorio’s rhythm, unable to hold back his moans and sharp exhales of pleasure, and even in his state, he could tell Leorio was getting close, too.

 

In that state, in that instant, Kurapika felt himself slipping. He wanted only to stare into Leorio’s eyes for ages, finding them beautiful and tender, finding something worth clinging to within, and knowing—without explanation—that when Leorio looked upon him, he saw the same thing. Kurapika felt his breath hitch in his throat as his body trembled, and realization struck him, rendered him dumbstruck. The thought nearly tore him from the moment, but Leorio’s hand on Kurapika’s cheek, a touch that could only be described as adoring, brought him back.

 

Straining his fingers to tease Leorio’s hair, weaving into the locks, Kurapika tilted back his head, the tendons of his neck exposed and tight. “Leorio, I—”

 

“I know.”

 

Kurapika arched his spine, eyes wide and wet, his breathing ragged. “I think I—”

 

“Me, too,” Leorio said, quickening his pace to a madenning degree, nearly stealing all thoughts from Kurapika’s mind. He bent to suck at Kurapika’s neck, moving his hips faster than before, plunging deeper so that Kurapika could barely breathe. “Me, too— _Kurapika_ —”

 

Kurapika clawed at his own palms and squeezed against Leorio’s ribs. The tightness in his pelvis grew overbearing, almost burning.

 

“I think—I think I _love_ you— _ah_ ~” Kurapika expelled the words with vehemence, but he considered they might have been drowned out, the confession almost slipping from his memory immediately from the force of Leorio’s final thrust. As he spoke, Leorio grunted, cumming inside, and the warm, fulfilling sensation—the lingering twitch of Leorio’s hips and his hot hands on Kurapika’s skin—sent Kurapika over the edge, arched his spine further and slipped muted profanities between his lips. He shuddered, collapsing back onto the mattress, and Leorio sank down beside him, his chin resting on Kurapika’s chest, eyes closed. They breathed, resting, and let their sweat-soaked skin cool in the stillness of the evening.

 

Kurapika’s confession burned his mind and flushed his skin long after his heart rate steadied. When he regained enough energy shortly after, Kurapika snaked his arms back over Leorio’s head and brought his wrists to his mouth. Disregarding the nervous quiver of his hands, he tried to bite down on the rope, jerking his head to the side to detach it. Shifting, Leorio cracked an eye open and frowned.

 

“Let me get that,” he said softly, pushing himself up onto his elbows. Reaching for the rope, he said, “It’s the least I can do.”

 

“I’ve got it,” Kurapika snapped, letting the rope slip from his mouth. His body felt hot, uncomfortably so, and he couldn’t deny the rapturous beating in his chest, his pulse hitting hard enough to ache.

 

Hurt, Leorio forced himself into a sitting position. With one hand timidly placed on Kurapika’s hip, he managed a smile. “Sunshine, please—”

 

“Did you hear what I said?” His tone was almost accusatory, but a note of anxiety clinging to the underside of each word.

 

Leorio blinked. “That you want to untie yourself for some reason?”

 

“No, not that,” Kurapika said, turning his face away. “When—just before you—you know—”

 

“Ah, _that_ ,” Leorio said, grinning. Kurapika faced him sharply, a flash of fear appearing in his eyes. “You said you love me—is that right?”

 

Kurapika felt as though his throat had swollen shut, and he lay his hands over his face, knuckles pressing against his closed eyelids. Fingers trembling, he exhaled, the breath wavering in his throat. He couldn’t speak. Even if the right words could arrange themselves in a suitable order, Kurapika knew he couldn’t force his tongue to form them.

 

When Leorio’s hand—warm palm and yearning fingers—cupped the side of Kurapika’s face, folding over his knuckles and tilting Kurapika’s head toward himself, Kurapika peered through the gaps of his fingers. Leorio had moved closer, his head blocking the light from the window, and even in the darkness, Kurapika saw an aching sweetness lifting the corners of his lips, glinting in his eyes.

 

“Kurapika?”  


“W-what?” Cursing the stutter, Kurapika rolled away, onto his side, but the soreness in his muscles, spreading from his back to his thighs, had already begun to set in, and he winced.

 

“Don’t hurt yourself,” Leorio chided, reaching over Kurapika’s body without even brushing against his skin. With a single hand, he smoothly unknotted the rope and tossed it over the side of the bed. Though he hesitated at first, Leorio wrapped his hand around Kurapika’s wrists and let his thumb trace the indentations, his touch soothing, yet agonizingly tender.

 

Kurapika leaned back against Leorio’s torso, stiff shoulders relaxing, and sighed. He still couldn’t bring himself to speak as he wished to, but he realized it wasn’t necessary. Words weren’t enough, after all.

 

With his other hand, Leorio stroked Kurapika’s hair with wily fingertips, the silky strands like satin against his skin, earning him a quiet, appreciative hum. They lay like that, spine to chest, sharing heat and heartbeats. Leorio’s breath drifted across the curve of Kurapika’s neck and made him shiver. Trailing his fingers up to intertwine them with Kurapika’s, Leorio shifted even closer until he could almost hear the flutter of Kurapika’s lashes against his cheeks.

 

“Kurapika?” His voice was a lull, a sweet whisper, and Kurapika instinctively tilted back his head to hear him better.

 

“Hmm?”

 

“For the record,” Leorio murmured, pressing his lips against the back of Kurapika’s head, just behind his ear. “I love you, too.”

 

Kurapika drew in air through his teeth, let it sink into his lungs, and bit down on his lip to ground himself. “Idiot,” he whispered, rolling with some difficult onto his other side to rest his forehead against Leorio’s chest—to get even closer to him and to hide his face. “Why did you have to say that _now_?”

 

“It felt right,” Leorio said, smiling as he planted a kiss at the crown of Kurapika’s head.

 

With his hands flat on Leorio’s skin, Kurapika monitored his heart rate, felt each beat against his palms, and grew drowsy from the rhythm. Before he could close his eyes, he stiffened.

 

“We forgot dinner,” Kurapika said. He craned his neck to assess Leorio’s face, seeking  “I will not allow you to go without food.”

 

Furrowing his brow, Leorio laughed. “I’m not the one who forgets to eat on a regular basis,” he chided.

 

“Work keeps me busy.”

 

“I know.”

 

“I am careful to monitor my caloric intake, and I manage it properly,” Kurapika said, huffing.

 

Leorio scowled. “Energy drinks and granola bars are hardly sufficient.”

 

Nudging Leorio’s thigh with his knee, Kurapika pouted. “How long are you going to scold me? What about dinner?”

 

“What do you suggest we do?”

 

“Well, I _was_ going to cook for you, but—”

 

“Let’s just order takeout,” Leorio said with a laugh, the sound of it clear as daybreak. “Don’t worry, I’ll get a shower before answering the door.”

 

When Leorio shifted the sheets as though to rise, Kurapika clung to him, latching onto his cheeks and holding him still, framing his face. Leorio watched him, waiting, and Kurapika swallowed, surprised by his own unhinged desperation. “Stay like this for a little while longer, won’t you? Grant me that much.”

 

Leorio draped his arm around Kurapika, let his hand rest at the small of his back, and pulled him even closer. Lips pressed to Kurapika’s forehead, Leorio smiled against his soft skin. “For you? Anything.”

 

* * *

For the reference of those who are of legal drinking age  **only**.

 

_Chocolate Squirrel_

Yeah, I know, this drink wasn’t actually consumed in this piece. Sue me.

 

Ingredients:

  * 3/4 ounce amaretto
  * 3/4 ounce Frangelico
  * 3/4 ounce dark crème de cacao
  * 3 ounces milk
  * Ice, cubed



Directions:

  * Mix up the amaretto, Frangelico, dark crème de cacao and milk with ice in a shaker.
  * Strain the contents of the shaker into an ice-filled glass of your choosing and serve.




End file.
